ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Despite a career-high 28 points from Nadiria Evans, the UNC Asheville women’s basketball team fell on the road to South Carolina State Saturday afternoon, 69-60. Saturday’s result moves Asheville’s record to 1-4 on the season.
Evans’ career day was an efficient effort all around as she went 12-for-16 from the field and 4-for-6 from the free throw line. Her 28-point effort was not only a career-high, but it also tied for the second-most points by a Big South player this season. Kai Carter nearly notched a double-double finishing with seven points and 11 rebounds. Carter’s rebounding total led the Bulldogs and set a new career-high for the sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia.
South Carolina State began Saturday’s matchup of Bulldogs with a 10-0 run to put Asheville in an early hole. Evans netted eight, while freshmen Lani Woods and Jamia Blake added field goals to get UNC Asheville back within four, 16-12, after one quarter.
Asheville continued on the comeback trail in the second quarter. Amaryah Corpening knocked down a pair of three-pointers to help the cause with the second tying the score at 25 with 1:35 to go in the half. SCSU scored the next points and held a slim 27-25 advantage at the halftime break.
As the second half began, the two teams had no issues finding the bottom of the net. Asheville shot a game-high 64.3 percent in the third on 14 attempts from the field. However, South Carolina State outdid that mark connecting on 10 of its 13 field goals (76.9%), including a 3-for-4 effort from beyond the arc to stay in front heading to the fourth, 50-47.
Shortly after the fourth quarter got underway, UNC Asheville was able to gain the lead for the first time Saturday, 51-50, after a layup from Evans. South Carolina State quickly regained the advantage and held onto it thanks to a pair of key three-pointers and going 9-for-10 from the free throw line down the stretch to finish off the 69-60 win over Asheville.
Next up for Asheville is a trip to High Point on December 19-20 as it opens Big South Conference play. Tip-off for both games is slated for 2 p.m.
